UW Medical Center is the first facility to earn a sixth Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. It was also the first hospital ever to earn the designation, in 1994, and it has been continuously recertified since then. Fewer than 8 percent of U.S. hospitals carry the Magnet designation. Recognized facilities must meet rigorous criteria, demonstrating, for example, nurses’ roles in decision-making, opportunities for professional advancement, adherence to practice standards and an established system for quality improvement, among other measures. “This recognition is viewed around the world as the ultimate seal of quality and confidence,” says Grace Parker, UW Medical Center’s chief nursing officer.